Once upon a time, there was a house.
A little prairie house.
It was born in 1918, a homesteader’s dream, built to shelter a growing family from the harsh conditions of the high plains.
It’s seen a lot in the past 98 years.
Lightning strikes. Blinding snowstorms. Rattlesnake infestations. A shop fire. Tornadoes. The Blizzard of ’49. And relentless wind. Oh, the wind.
Many families came and went after the original family left. There were some who loved the little homestead, and planted lilacs and Siberian Elm trees carefully in rows behind the house to protect it from the pounding west winds. They raised sheep and cattle, and candled their eggs in the tiny hand-dug basement. Each spring a lone tulip can still be found rising from the middle of the yard where their flower beds once stood.
But as the years rolled along and the homestead continued to change hands, it slowly fell into disarray and began to lose its shine.
The fence lines crumbled. The outbuildings weathered and slowly fell apart. The windmill atop the original well was torn down. Gaping holes were dug in the yards and pastures in an effort to bury the ever-accumulating trash, and during the worst years, a small horse lived inside the house.
The shop and barn were waist-deep in junk. There was a washing machine in the back pasture. The carefully planted trees filled the back yard with broken limbs as they aged, shattered, and died. Bits of clothing, carpet, and assorted trash seemed to grow from the prairie as the wind blew the soil from the hastily filled dump holes. No one wanted to live in such a tumble-down shack, so it stood empty for several years. Until…
These crazy people walked onto the property one day.
That’s us. (Way back when.)
People tried to talk us out of buying it– they told us were were nuts. And as I look back at some of the photos, I see their point. The house was tiny, the outbuildings were trashed, the fence lines were destroyed, and it was miles and miles from the nearest grocery store. But we were blinded by potential, and couldn’t hear the naysayers whispering in our ear. Plus, we were newlyweds with a determination to live within our means and budget, and choosing the minuscule 900 square foot house meant two former-city kids could afford to become the proud owners of 67 acres. 67 glorious acres.
Since the day we signed our names on the dotted line, this house has been much more than “just a starter home” to me. As someone who prayed for and craved country living since the age of three, buying this property was the realization of a longing that is so deeply ingrained in me I can describe it as nothing less than divinely inspired. It may sound strange, but I have a soul-connection to this land.
Over the last 8 years, Prairie Husband and I have become ‘sweat equity’ personified, but it has been a labor of love. We overhauled every single inch of the place (fence lines, gardens, pastures, landscaping, tree rows, siding, roofs, outbuildings, corrals, you name it…), EXCEPT the house.
The good news was that the previous owner gutted the entire interior of the tiny house, so the inside had new sheetrock and flooring. The bad news was he had a “builder-grade” sort of style, so the house sadly lost much of its original character and ended up rather bland and uncharming (hello yellow plastic siding…). But it was clean and livable and it worked just fine for a while as we toiled away on our outside projects.
But then the babies started coming. And our home business grew. And the little 900 square foot prairie house suddenly got REALLY REALLY SMALL.
And we knew it was time for the last piece of the 100-year old homestead rebirth to fall into place. It was time to add on.
*gulp*
Remodeling was brutal. You can read all about our planning/demo/building process in this post. We tore off several rooms in the process, so our tiny house got even smaller for a while, and we found ourselves eating/living/schooling/relaxing in just one room for many, many months. More than once the Prairie Husband had to talk me off the ledge when I was sure I just couldn’t take the chaos for one more second. But all seasons come to an end, and hallelujah, that one is OVER.
It’s time for the big reveal today, my friends. I know many of you have been waiting a while for this, as I’ve been dropping sneak peeks on Facebook and Instagram for months. Is it entirely finished? Well, no. (Will it ever be? Probably not.) But I’m not going to make you wait any longer.
So without further adieu, may I present to you: the neglected and forgotten little prairie house made new.
The Story of Our Prairie House (in pictures)
The Outside:
A shot from summer 2008, right after we purchased the property. The canvas camp chair lends a super classy touch– don’t you think? 😉
Spring 2015– we tore off the dining room and “laundry closet” on the back of the house and prepared to dig the giant hole in the back where the new addition would go.
When we ripped off the lovely plastic yellow siding, we discovered many of the boards underneath were rotted and the insulation was almost non-existent. So we had to take a detour and replace boards and install insulated panels before we could proceed with the new siding.
But this is what we look like now:
We still have a tiny bit of siding to finish on that one side, and I need to paint one more white door, but it’s quite the transformation, I think.
We agonized over siding choices for months, but we finally went with cedar siding with a steel wainscot. The wainscoting will naturally rust over time and I love the industrial/rustic feel it brings. Plus I can’t hurt it with the weed whacker.
The same tree– approximately 7 years later. (And no, trees do NOT grow fast here in Wyoming…)
The Inside:
Old Dining/New Laundry Room:
This was our old dining room, aka the dining “closet”. We added the window in 2014, but even then, it was still an awkwardly small room. The ceilings were short and crooked, and even a small dining table and chair set would barely fit. Entertaining guests was super-duper cozy. Ahem.
In order for the foundation of the new addition to fit on to the back of the house, we had to complete rip off this room. However, we rebuilt it on the original footprint (on the new foundation, with straight walls and ceilings…) moved the door, and turned it into the new laundry room.
Hard to believe it’s the same space, huh?
I went a little nuts with quirky additions to the laundry room, so I wrote a entire post with all the juicy details. You can find all of that (along with the name of my “heifer head”) in my farmhouse laundry room post.
The Kitchen:
This was the kitchen right after we bought the place. Builder-grade oak cabinets, no dishwasher, and extremely limited counter space. (By the way– my decorating style has changed considerably since then… thank goodness.)
In 2012, I got the wild idea to paint those builder-grade cabinets white (and we’d also installed an island and dishwasher and moved the sink by then, too).
I loved the white look for quite a while– it felt airy and crisp. And then I had Prairie Boy and suddenly my white cabinets weren’t so white anymore (the kid is pretty much a walking ball of stickiness), and the cheap-o cabinets began to fall apart, too.
Thankfully, the kitchen was right on the edge of where the old house met the new house, so it needed to be redone anyway. Once the remodel was “dried-in”, we ripped apart the kitchen too. Fun times.
As is common with old houses, the kitchen floor was pretty saggy. So saggy, in fact, that we likely could not have laid down the new wood floor without major issues. Thankfully, Prairie Husband is extremely handy and was able to jack up the house and build in extra support in the ancient basement underneath. It was an adventure, to say the least. But now our new floor is as level as you can expect a 98-year old house to be.
I’m pretty sure there’s some rule somewhere that says farmhouses *must* have white painted cabinets, but I’ve never been very good at following rules, so I opted for rustic hickory instead (partly because I’d already done the white thing, and partly because I couldn’t take the dirt anymore…)
Speaking of decorating styles, I have no idea what mine is… If I had to put a label on it, I’d call it eclectic-rustic-farmhouse-vintage-western-industrial. How’s that for some classification? While I like some aspects of the all-white farmhouse look, I still crave a lot of rich, natural tones and texture. I love rusty metal, leather, cowhide, richly grained wood, and natural elements. As much as I love to look at the crisp white farmhouses on Pinterest, I knew using that much white in my decor just wouldn’t fit me. Plus, I wanted my house to have a uniquely Wyoming feel. (More on that in a bit).
I wouldn’t have gotten this pot filler above the stove if it hadn’t been for Prairie Husband, but I’m sure glad he talked me into it– I love this thing. Super handy for filling up canning pots, too.
My first choice for counter tops was butcher block, but considering how messy I am in the kitchen, I decided it would be wiser to go with a material that doesn’t require quite as much maintenance. We opted for a grey quartz with a “fractured” edge, and I am loving it so far. It almost has a concrete look, and it’s super tough.
I requested the open shelving specifically as a place to store some of my dry ingredients and home-canned food. I’m not really into “knick-knacks”, but I love using functional items as decoration.
The Living Room:
Our old living room was painfully awkward, and it was one of the main reasons we needed to build the addition. It was a tiny box with awkward furniture placement, which made entertaining guests near impossible. (See the pics of it below) We decided to turn it into an office space instead, and build a spacious living room in the addition.
Hardwood floors were a must for our new living area, as I have dealt with carpet for FAR too long. We knew we wanted an open room with high ceilings and lots of natural light and seating for guests. I wanted this room in particular to have a bold, vintage Wyoming look, and I love how we were able to incorporate elements of our style into some of the trim work to make that happen.
I especially love the window trim– we distressed 2×6 pine boards with a draw knife, hammers, and chains, and then stained them a dark brown. Prairie Husband added the big black bolts for an extra rustic touch, and the result is stunning. No curtains for these babies.
I really wanted a taller baseboard trim (to mimic what I’ve seen in older homes) so we used 2×6 pine again, but this time with the top edge routered and stained to match the windows and doors as well.
Prairie Husband custom-built the sliding barn doors to hide the TV. I know, I’m pretty spoiled.
We moved our wood stove from the old living room into this new room. But instead of the faux stone we used previously, we lined the stove surround with leftover steel from the exterior wainscoting, and use grey pavers for the base.
I love this wall– the door was salvaged from our barn when we redid it, the antelope mount was from one of the Prairie Husband’s hunts, and the rope is a real rawhide reata that was my great-grandfathers. I love decor with a story.
And then we have the windmill… If you follow me on Instagram, then you’ve probably already seen the windmill, and I’ll probably forever be known as the crazy-windmill-lady because of it, but I don’t care. It’s absolute perfection. It was generously “donated” from the junk pile of one of the ranches down the road.
It hangs over the stairwell wall that leads down into the basement. The half-wall is covered with leftover windbreak wood we had hanging around in our trash pile.
The Old Living Room/Office
This was our tiny living room, circa 2008. (Ain’t that maroon chair a beaut?) The carpet looked decent back them, but it didn’t look so great when we pulled it out 8 years later. Let me offer an unsolicited bit of advice: if you’re considering putting carpet in your homestead house– don’t.
Little did I know the original hardwood floors lay waiting for me under that speckled Berber…
This was a day or two after we made our hardwood floor discovery, prior to repainting. It definitely wasn’t all pretty and shiny when we initially pulled up the carpet, but I knew there had to be something worth saving under the scuffs and scratches and dried paint.
Turns out, I was right.
A trip to town to get a drum sander, a coat of stain, and two coats of sealer later, we were in business! If only these floors could talk…
We couldn’t find any desks we liked, so Prairie Husband (have I mentioned how handy he is?) built a custom wall desk made from rough cut windbreak wood planks. He planed it, joined it, sanded it, and rubbed in several layers of tung oil until it looked like this:
Pretty snazzy, eh?
I love the industrial-look of pipe, so the supports are fashioned out of regular ol’ pipe, painted black. And there’s open shelving to match, of course.
I’ve had a home business since 2011, and this is the first time I’ve ever had an actual office space.
The decor and details in here are still a work-in-progress, but it’s coming together. And I love not having my laptop and planner in the middle of my kitchen workspace…
New Master Suite
Our old master bedroom was a typical, tiny, old-house bedroom– nothing special– so we gave our old room to the Prairie Kids, and build a new master suite off the side of the new living room.
It’s spacious and airy–which is a big improvement from our other room.
Originally we were going to go with a basic shower insert in the master bathroom, but it just looked too…. modern. So, we chose a weathered wood-look tile for the tub and shower. The only problem with that was Prairie Husband had to build the entire shower base and surround from scratch. Did I mention he’s pretty handy? If I had to do that, there would be water leaking through the floor into the basement as we speak, but he did an amazing job.
The pebble tile completes the natural look. (This photo is before we attached the glass door). It kinda cracks me up how much work we went through to make it look like you’re showering outside behind an old wooden windbreak, but I think it’s fabulous. 😉
I love the old-fashioned look of the copper vessel sinks, and we also scrounged in our scrap pile to find old bits of weathered wood to complete the mirror, towel rack, and tile trim.
This lilac bush sits right next to the homestead’s original well and cistern; the old, broken pump jack is still nestled beneath its branches. I walk by it every day on the way to the barn, and each year when it blooms in the spring, I stick my face deep into the purple flowers, inhale, and give a silent nod to the generations of homesteaders who loved this little chunk of land before we did. I sure hope they like what we’ve done with the place.
Sources:
- Hardwood Floors: Handscraped Tobacco Road Acacia by Lumber Liquidators (this is the solid wood, not laminate)
- Barn Door Hardware: artisanhardware.com
- Windmill and Scottish Highlander Pillow Covers: society6.com
- Main Paint Color: Westhighland White by Sherwin Williams
- Office Paint Color: Lovely Bluff by Valspar
- Trim/Door Stain: Jacobean by Minwax
- Kitchen Pendant Lights: Barn Light Electric
- Dining Room Chandelier: Decorsteals.com
- Dining Room Table & Chairs: American Furniture Warehouse
- Industrial-Look Ceiling Fans: Home Depot
- Hammered Copper Farmhouse Sink: Sinkology
- Copper Vessel Sinks in Bathroom: Sinkology
Rebecca says
May 25, 2016 at 9:57 amI love your house!!! Please tell me where I can get that wire bin you have on your counter top (I think it has onions in it) 😀
Jill Winger says
May 26, 2016 at 2:23 pmdecorsteals.com– but watch out– that website is addicting! 😉
LeVonne King says
October 27, 2018 at 4:54 pmThank you!!!
Anita Weddle says
November 9, 2016 at 2:29 pmI just love the new look!! Thank you for sharing all the pictures!? I’m with you…never again will i have carpet!! Life’s too short! Lol. So glad i found you.
Kathy says
May 25, 2016 at 10:04 amWow. That’s all I can say. We spent years doing the same to a 20’s era brick cape cod prior to our move to the farm. I know all about living in one room with kids. It was stressful at times, but it made our children so close in the process. Wouldn’t trade it for anything
Monica Koch says
May 25, 2016 at 10:15 amThere’s no doubt in my mind the original homesteaders and all those since are looking down and smiling on what you have done to bring the place back to life. Kudos to the both of you for having the patience and talent to take on such a big project. I’m so happy you are finally able to live your dream of country living as there’s nothing like it in the world. Enjoy your new home and thanks for the wonderful tour. I enjoyed reading and viewing each frame.
Jill Winger says
May 26, 2016 at 2:22 pmThanks for your kind works Monica!
Rylee says
May 25, 2016 at 10:19 amLove love love the transformation! Looks amazing!!!
Shauna says
May 25, 2016 at 10:32 amBeautiful! I will be using your home as inspiration for decorating our new build. I love the function of new, but the look of time worn, well loved finishes and you’ve done a wonderful job incorporating them together. Thanks for sharing!
Amy says
May 25, 2016 at 10:42 amGorgeous Jill! Just gorgeous.
Bee says
May 25, 2016 at 11:03 amWow, what an inspiration. We have a similar tiny old homestead house that is in need of some serious renovations one day. I love your copper kitchen sink! After my laundry room gets finished, I want to put one in my kitchen too!
Nicole says
May 25, 2016 at 11:06 amWow. You put so much love into that house, and it shows. Really love what you’ve done with the place.
Tina Struemph says
May 25, 2016 at 11:23 amYou guys did a wonderful job! Looks fabulous. I believe all the previous owners would approve of all your upgrades, and would thank you for bringing the homestead back to life again!
Jill Winger says
May 26, 2016 at 2:21 pmThanks Tina!
Susan says
May 25, 2016 at 12:26 pmGorgeous! I hope you in many happy years in your home.
Regina says
May 25, 2016 at 2:04 pmLove, love everything!
Amy says
May 25, 2016 at 4:33 pmWow! I am in love! Could you please post a “far away” shot of your office? So we can see what it looks like in full 🙂 Love it! All the hard work has paid off 🙂
Jill Winger says
May 26, 2016 at 2:20 pmGood idea– I need to change the lens on my camera to do that, but once I do, I’ll post it!
Heidi says
May 25, 2016 at 6:45 pmWow! Everything is absolutely beautiful! Have you ever considered being an interior design consultant on the side? No joke! At least you can say that the frustrating months were well worth it!
Jill Winger says
May 26, 2016 at 2:20 pmThanks Heidi! And maybe I can take up a side job in design consulting if I ever get bored with homesteading, ha! 🙂
Rachel Espino says
May 25, 2016 at 7:03 pmGorgeous!
Terry Collins says
May 25, 2016 at 8:00 pmBeautiful Jill!! I’m so happy for y’all 🙂
Peggy says
May 25, 2016 at 8:07 pmAbsolutely gorgeous and cozy homey at the same time. I hope you can pause a few moments and enjoy your much deserved “new” home. Amazing job you two!
Deb B says
May 26, 2016 at 12:32 amBeautiful! We’ve been there, it took us 13 years to re-do a 1886 farmhouse, living with holes in the walls and floors…finally almost done and we had to make a sudden move! My husband went back and finished it to sell, but we never got to live in it after we were done.
I love your style, things you love, things you use. ..and it all goes together so beautifully!
AliCT says
May 26, 2016 at 6:54 amBeautiful! Well done Jill, you and the Prairie Family deserve it!
Jessica says
May 26, 2016 at 3:57 pmI’m just in awe! So much to love, it’s so beautiful. What a blessing to have such a handy hubby too!
Lady Lee says
May 27, 2016 at 5:49 amIt is absolutely amazing Jill! I think you were very successful in catching the Western/Wyoming feel. And all this open space! You live in a beautiful place.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:03 pmThanks Lee! Excited to see more reno pics of your new place, too!
Wendy says
May 28, 2016 at 4:41 amBeautiful place Jill! I love it.
Karen C Hughes says
May 28, 2016 at 8:01 amThis journey reminds me of Dr. Seuss’s book “Oh, The Places You’ll Go”. Congratulations!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:03 pmYes, indeed- thanks Karen!
Ruby Ayers says
May 29, 2016 at 8:23 amYou guys have done amazing beautiful and creative things to the “Old Pace” place as I remember it from my Chug days… What an amazing journey and thank God for that amazingly talented husband of yours.. What a blessing..
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:03 pmThanks Ruby! 🙂
Lynn says
May 29, 2016 at 8:53 pmYou have transformed the place and it’s wonderful!!! We have a tiny house too…960 square feet, and all the same challenges you have run into. I do think it’s fun to dig into a project and see what you find. We just redid our entryway and found an original outside wall complete with the old lap siding. Old houses have so much character, if you can stand the crooked walls….hope you enjoy your old/new place!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:02 pm*swoon* how awesome– I love old lap siding! I agree 100%– so fun to find the old treasures!
Kathleen says
June 1, 2016 at 6:22 amIt looks amazing, Jill! I LOVE the sliding wooden doors hiding the TV–great idea, and Prairie Husband must indeed by very handy. Good job, Wingers!
Kathleen says
June 1, 2016 at 6:22 amwhoops, *be very handy 🙂
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:01 pmThanks Miss Kathleen! 😉
Ashley says
June 1, 2016 at 8:25 amLOVE LOVE LOVE! As a Wyomingite myself, I especially appreciate the Wyomingness of your choices 🙂 We bought a place on 40 acres last fall and–while not to the extent of yours–our house needed some remodeling, too. The first thing we did was tear out all the carpet! Carpet has no place in a country home (except maybe the basement…). Remodeling certainly isn’t fun, especially when you’re adding a baby in during the process!, but it’s so gratifying in the end 🙂
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:01 pmI agree– carpet and country living is a horrible match! Congrats on your new place– how exciting!
Lea says
June 1, 2016 at 8:31 amI have a question Jill. Did your super handy Prairie husband work full time on this or was it a nights and weekends project? This is so impressive! So in love with your style, I would call it Ranch house style?
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 5:00 pmOur home business (this blog plus doTERRA essential oils) enabled him to quit his job last April, so he worked on it full-time. Otherwise, I don’t know if it would have been possible, and we probably would have just had to hire a general contractor (and paid a LOT more money…) 😉
Linda S says
June 1, 2016 at 8:43 amShame on you! Envy is a sin & you just led me down the road to green-eyed jealousy! Y’all did a fantastic job & it’s beautiful.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:59 pmhehehe– thanks Linda! 😉
Erin says
June 1, 2016 at 8:46 amLooks amazing!! Great job to you and your husband! We have two rooms left to finish in our homestead house, and it wouldn’t be possible without my hubby’s handyman skills too. It really makes all the difference in what you can create at a fraction of the cost to hire someone.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:59 pmHandy hubbies are the BEST!
Carole @ Garden Up Green says
June 1, 2016 at 8:51 amAll I can say is WOW!!! Love all the wood it brings so much detail and speaks volumes.. The grain of wood is like the milestones we travel through life. Enjoy this new journey and you should really submit this to some country home magazine. You all did amazing!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:58 pmYes, I love wood, too. 🙂 Thanks for your kind words Carole!
Adrianne Gross says
June 1, 2016 at 9:01 amWhat a GORGEOUS job you guys did on your house! I love the restoration and your beautiful touches! Very chic. When can I move in??? Lol…
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:58 pmC’mon over!! 😉
Jerry says
June 1, 2016 at 9:20 amWow! What can I say, but you did it with style. I love all the trim work especially the addition of the black bolts. You mentioned the ceiling fans on your list, but none of the pictures show them. Would love to see what you chose. I am so happy for you and know there was a lot of hard work, it truly shows your husband’s love for you. Had to laugh at your iron skillets hanging on the wall. Mine hang on the wall, too, I use them everyday. The rustic farmhouse style fits for the rough life of living on the prairie. Enjoy!
Jerry says
June 1, 2016 at 9:21 amAnd I used square nails to hang my skillets.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:58 pmGreat catch– I added the missing ceiling fan pic for you! And yes– I think all cast iron deserves to be proudly displayed. 😉 Thanks for taking the time to comment, Jerry!
Karen Knaus says
June 1, 2016 at 9:29 amAwesome, I love the story you tell about the transformation- You all should be so very proud of your accomplishments!!!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:57 pmThanks Karen!
Sheila Babneau says
June 1, 2016 at 9:34 amI am thoroughly impressed with the entire project and story of your vision Jill! I’m not a western kinda gal but I’ll tell you I love every inch of your space and all that you used to make your homestead come to life.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:57 pmAw, thanks so much Sheila! 🙂
Bonnie says
June 1, 2016 at 9:44 amI love what you have done to your home. The only thing that matters is that you have made it what you enjoy. Would B.C. cedars grow there to add to your wind break?
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:57 pmHmmm… I’m not sure cedars would grow here. We have mainly ash, cottonwood, and lilacs in our new windbreak. And some of the lingering Elms, of course.
Jerry Sledge says
June 1, 2016 at 10:00 amAs a retired handyman myself, to say I am impressed would be an understatement. I stand in awe.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:56 pmThanks so much Jerry!
Diane Keirstead says
June 1, 2016 at 10:07 amWOW, What a wonderful transformation. I purchased a partially renovated Old Farmhouse that had been moved into Town onto a large lot. Over the past 12 years I have done many repairs and upgrades, but this is what makes it MY Home. The Yard was a blank slate so I put my gardening skills to good use, I have raised veggie beds, numerous fruit shrubs & trees and perennial beds everywhere. I even developed a Halfdead Poplar, willow scrub bush area into my woodland gardens which I call my sanctuary. I am so content in my own little Patch of Solitude in Alberta Canada. I certainly can relate to the Work in Progress, like you it is wonderful to have the finished project with my own personal touches.
Congratulation on your Beautiful Prairie Home. Enjoy it for Many Years to come!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:56 pmThat is awesome Diane! It is such an awesome feeling, isn’t it? Such satisfaction. 🙂
Anna Kauffman says
June 1, 2016 at 10:18 amJill, I LOVE it! The two of you have done a wonderful job! Thanks for sharing the details!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:55 pmThanks Anna!
Alisa Brennan says
June 1, 2016 at 10:44 amOh, it’s just beautiful! You and your husband are so crazy talented. I love all the natural materials that were used…makes it even more valuable. I bet the pictures don’t do it justice.
I especially enjoyed searching for your doTERRA items throughout the house…the diffusers, hand soap, supplements and of course the oils! May you enjoy many years of making wonderful memories in your home.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:55 pmhaha– yes! I suppose there are quite a few products making cameos– doTERRA is truly a part of our life!
Ardith says
June 1, 2016 at 10:58 amThis is an incredible, simply incredible transformation, Jill. You and your husband are not only intrepid and tenacious, but talented and skillful enough to pull off such an involved renovation. Like other commenters, I am duly impressed. Congratulations on making your childhood dream come true, with style. Cheers, Ardith
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:54 pmThanks so much Ardith– you are too kind. 🙂
Anne Vassal says
June 1, 2016 at 12:10 pmThis is amazing…so non traditional blending in with your surroundings. Love it all. I think you just found your next career!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:54 pmThanks Anne! 🙂
Heidi says
June 1, 2016 at 1:37 pmthis is stunning! So inviting and naturally beautiful. I visited Wyoming once as a teenager and decided it was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever been. I still think so 35 yrs later.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:52 pmWyoming as a way of doing that to folks. 🙂
victoria says
June 1, 2016 at 1:56 pmJill, your house is lovely and rugged…..right down my alley 🙂
When you showed your room you didn’t show the entire bed, can you tell us about that gorgeous bed ?
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:52 pmI’ll try to get some more pics up of that! We built it right after we were first married– was super fun!
John Sammon says
June 1, 2016 at 2:14 pmI really never reply to blogs or such but I need to tell you…you and your family have done something wonderful. You took something that, as most people thought, was old and useless. Your family invested: time, sweat, planning and grit-to make something beautiful and welcoming.
Not knowing either of you, I honestly admire the character that you showed in making such a warm, inviting home for your family.
God’s blessing on you all.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:39 pmThanks so much John– it means a lot that you took the time to leave a comment. It was truly a labor of love for us, and it has been so fun to share it with y’all through this blog!
Pamela Roberts-Reynolds says
June 1, 2016 at 2:18 pmIt is no longer a ‘little’ house on the prairie but a beautiful and gracious home… love everything you have done… it is rich in Jill and her Prairie Family!!!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:38 pmAw, thanks so much Pamela. 🙂 xoxo
Francine Krimsky says
June 1, 2016 at 2:32 pmSo amazing. Loved you’re sharing your story of “then” and “now” ~ so impressive. You had high hopes and your confidence as a couple made it all possible (along with getting down and dirty). Remarkable. Your fortitude reflects in how far you have made it all the way around ~ In business and raising a healthy doTerra family 😉
I am glad our paths have crossed.
Francine
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:37 pmThanks so much for your kind words Francine!
sally says
June 1, 2016 at 3:05 pmLoved seeing your homestead coming back to life, the personal touches you give it and the extreme weather you have there. I live on the Gold Coast in Australia and like to think I’ve got my own ‘little Asian styled homestead’ just 5 minutes from the golden beaches.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:37 pmI love it! And how cool to be so close to the beach!
LindaKay says
June 1, 2016 at 3:26 pmReally wonderful home I can relate ( live in Red Desert, Wyoming in a barn (kit ) house….. yeah we’ll do that …next year…or … the year after! lol
Donna French says
June 1, 2016 at 4:47 pmTotally Awesome…so glad for you and your family!!
Rhonda Metcalf says
June 1, 2016 at 5:22 pmWow, inviting all us friends over to see your lovely makeover and not one muddy shoe print. You rock!
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:36 pmhaha– that’s because I mopped before I took the pics– normally there are dog/kid prints everywhere it seems!
Lorene says
June 1, 2016 at 6:22 pmI love the wood around the windows the knots in the cabinets and the wood floors and the decor…very cute Job…..lots of work….Lorene
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:35 pmThanks Lorene!
Cammy says
June 1, 2016 at 11:24 pmGorgeous. I would have been terrified a rodent would come in during all the ripping out and removal of wood. I loved your new kitchen but would have been ecstatic with the old one! I have about the same amount of counter space as you had on each side of your stove before the remodel. In other words, -0- space!!
I have got to get this blog to my son who is re-modeling their home. he put in gray slate tiles thru the living/dining/hall area, covered an unusable fireplace with a gorgeous pine lapboard and made an accent wall to display a collection of crosses. His wife hung her black and white cowhide on the dining room wall and they put in rustic, wood furniture with the Texas star in it.
He told me last weekend the kitchen was next. I think he would love the look of your new one. He is like your husband, very handy and builds all sorts of things including his sons cabin at the back of their property.
Hope you enjoy many years in your gorgeous old/new home.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:35 pmWell, we definitely have had our share of mice! But I think all the changes helped block a few of their holes, hopefully! Sounds like your son/DIL style is similar to ours– I love cowhide!
Clare says
June 2, 2016 at 7:56 amHi Jill, these pictures are a great inspiration, I love the country charm of the decor and it really suits the ‘Prairie Homestead’ look. Brilliant remodelling too! I am in the midst of my own little farm vision being realised, albeit in the hills of Piemonte, Italy. Your site has been an inspiration in many ways. Wishing you and your family much happiness. Clare x
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:34 pmHow exciting, Clare! Love it when those farm dreams come true. 🙂
julie says
June 2, 2016 at 5:19 pmThis is such a beautiful HOME!! I love the wood and all the corrugated metal, the warmth and the Western openness. Congratulations and many years blessings.
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:30 pmThanks so much Julie! 🙂
Alice says
June 3, 2016 at 8:01 amYou did an awesome job! I really like how you salvaged and reused materials. Your house feels like a ‘real home’ that is liveable and practical, and uniquely yours. Feeling inspired to make some changes to our farmhouse! Enjoy….
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:31 pmThanks Alice! I’m glad you are feeling inspired, too!
Melissa S Hostetter says
June 3, 2016 at 11:51 amI just found you,so excited. We live in a 1700 farmhouse in Oxford pa. Love what you did to your home.
Kendra at New Life on a Homestead says
June 4, 2016 at 6:22 amCongrats, Jill! The house looks beautiful. You’ve worked hard for every inch of it. 🙂
Jill Winger says
June 5, 2016 at 4:30 pmThanks Miss Kendra!
Heather Hemphill says
June 6, 2016 at 11:57 amWow. It is beautiful. Congratulations. You did a marvelous job.
Jill Winger says
June 9, 2016 at 4:12 pmThanks so much Heather!
Julie Pruett says
June 7, 2016 at 12:12 pmThe pictures of your “new” home are beautiful! It was a “treat” to see the pictures before and after. A lot of hard work I’m sure…. How proud you must be. I am sure the souls that were on that land before, are smiling and shaking their heads in amazement…
Jill Winger says
June 9, 2016 at 4:10 pmThanks so much Julie!
Jenny says
June 8, 2016 at 11:54 amJill! This made me want to cry. Both because it’s so beautiful and welcoming and because I am so jealous.
I feel like we are getting so old and we still are so far from where I’d like to be. I have always loved eastern Wyoming and dream of living there, but I don’t see that happening.
Granted, part of the reason we don’t feel we can move is because our oldest child loves her small Christian school here. So, I guess I have no one to blame but myself! 😉 But still, I am jealous! I guess I can console myself with the fact that trees grow quickly in PA??? Ha!
Oh, and I LOVE your decorating style, whatever it is.
Jill Winger says
June 9, 2016 at 4:09 pmAw, thanks so much Jenny! You’re never too old to chase those dreams, but yes, you are correct– trees grow much, MUCH faster in PA! Ha!
Patrick Flynn Jr says
June 11, 2016 at 11:17 amSuper nice. Enjoyed the read and the photos. Got here through your egg article/pin. Keep up the good work. Blessings to you and your family
Jill Winger says
June 14, 2016 at 4:03 amThanks Patrick! Glad you found me!
Nicole says
June 12, 2016 at 6:14 pmBeautiful home! Where did you find the 307 pillow? I love everything you guys did.
Jill Winger says
June 14, 2016 at 4:03 amI made it. 🙂 I took a white pillow cover, and then printed the numbers out on paper, cut them out, and used them as a stencil.
andrea berg says
June 14, 2016 at 7:41 pmyour house is absolute perfection, congratulations!!!
you are such an inspiration!!!
Gina Johnson says
June 15, 2016 at 11:51 amBeautiful. We bought a circa 1920 Prairie style house in Anna, TX, two years ago and spent nine months remodeling before we moved in. Not that we were done by then! Took off vinyl siding and aluminum storm windows, repaired and painted, replaced all plumbing and electrical, practically rebuilt the foundation, and I’m still working on reglazing the original wood windows myself. At least they all work now!
I totally know how much work went into your house, y’all did a great job.
Jill Winger says
June 22, 2016 at 4:28 pmSounds beautiful! And yes, you can definitely relate it sounds like!
Donna Strong says
June 23, 2016 at 2:35 pmI just found your blog! I’m about to read as much as I can in one sitting. We are building our farmhouse right now with no contractors, it’s been hard to find farm/homestead bloggers who actually build their houses with their own hands, so if you know of any others please feel free to share. Love your laundry room BTW!
Jill Winger says
June 25, 2016 at 3:31 pmSo glad you found me Donna! And how exciting about your farmhouse!
Marleen Loftis says
August 16, 2016 at 7:17 amYour home is just beautiful. My husband and I have been remodeling our place in the country also. It is harder when you are older so I would tell anyone to pursue their dreams when they are younger. You will never regret it. By the way, where did you purchase the ceiling fan from? Glad I found your blog.
Jill Winger says
August 17, 2016 at 3:02 pmWe got it from the Home Depot website, believe it or not!
janay says
November 9, 2016 at 11:57 amwould love to see more pics of what you’ve done in all of the new addition … downstairs etc.
U2 have done a fabulous job … from “wonderful handy hubby” to your decorating. it has been sooooooo fun watching U2 young’uns dreams become a reality. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Mickie says
November 9, 2016 at 7:00 pmAbsolutely BEAUTIFUL. Enjoy!
Lisa says
November 10, 2016 at 5:16 pmJill, you have been such an inspiration and encouragement. Reading your story gives me hope to continue pursuing my dream country homestead. We are working on buying our place – 5 years to go – in a beautiful mountain secluded location, but haven’t been able to do much with it because all our time has been spent keeping up with our growing family and keeping up with the bills. But soon, hopefully very soon, we can start investing sweat-equity in our place fixing it up the way we want. And I LOVE your style (with a few alterations – LOL). Thank you for sharing your story.
Angela says
December 14, 2016 at 11:30 amWhere did you get your ceiling fan?
Jill Winger says
December 20, 2016 at 2:28 pmHome Depot website, believe it or not! 🙂
Emily says
January 4, 2017 at 1:30 pmI love what you all did to the old farmhouse. I tried to go back through to see what the new square footage was but couldn’t find a new number. How much did you add on?
Jill Winger says
January 5, 2017 at 9:03 pmWe added on about 2000 square feet! 🙂
Debby Riddle says
January 11, 2017 at 11:15 amWow! So proud of you two! Just stunning!
Jill Winger says
January 16, 2017 at 12:14 pmThanks Debby!
Sarah S. says
February 10, 2017 at 3:55 pmHi Jill,
I LOVE the remodel. We bought a fixer upper farmhouse and have been remodeling/restoring for the past year. I have two questions. On the desk your husband built is all you used to stain/treat it tung oil? My husband just built a desk and bookshelf/cabinet built in and I want it to look natural but still be smooth and protected. Second question, I want a farmhouse sink and am thinking about copper, how are you liking it so far? Is it holding up well or getting dented? Love it all, thanks for the great inspiration!!!
Jill Winger says
February 14, 2017 at 2:42 pmHey Sarah!
Yes, tung oil is all we used on the desk (several coats). It’s working great so far, and resists water well.
And yes– LOVING the copper sink! Not denting at all. It has a bit of “patina” on it now, but you could clean that away if you wanted. I don’t mind it, though. 🙂
Sarah says
March 14, 2017 at 5:16 pmAwesome! Thanks so much, I really want a copper sink so I think I’m going to go for it! That is once my husband finished cabinets haha 🙂 So inspired by your whole blog, thanks for writing and sharing!
Becky Jones says
March 13, 2017 at 4:58 pmJust looked through your reno and am extremely impressed with all you and your hubby have accomplished! We are in the process of a country build ourselves, and I’m keeping an eye out for a compact corner tub (we’ll be having one “family” bath upstairs, but I would love to squeeze in a separate tub and shower if I can finagle it). Do you remember where you got the tub/what it was called? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Jill Winger says
March 30, 2017 at 2:46 pmThanks Becky! I believe we ordered the tub through the local plumber, so I don’t have a brand name for you, unfortunately!
Heather says
October 8, 2017 at 9:45 amSo wonderful! You’re hard work and commitment has paid off. And a pot filler above the stove??!! Never heard of one but that’s genius.
Kim says
October 18, 2017 at 10:55 amJill your house is stunning! I found your blog while looking for “rustic western kitchens”. We’re just starting to build on our homestead, and we’re milling our own lumber and everything. (!!!) We’re very excited. I’d like to know more about your kitchen cabinets please. Did you go through a cabinet maker? Or are those something I can buy somewhere? They’re perfect! You’ve created such a warm, beautiful home. May God continue to bless you and yours.
Havilah says
December 4, 2017 at 1:27 pmJill, I stumbled across your blog a few years ago and have really enjoyed reading it. Your home is beautiful and you and your husband did a wonderful job. I was curious where you got your counter tops and what brand,style/color they are. My husband and I are looking for gray quartz counter for our new home and we really like yours.
Kathy says
January 1, 2018 at 12:30 pmQuick question – what brand of windows did you put in? I am assuming they are super insulated and energy efficient being as how you have to deal with some wicked weather.
Deirdre says
May 27, 2018 at 12:12 pmJill,
Where did you get the exterior corrugated rustic wanescoating? I’m looking for that color. Did it come like that or weather over years? Love your ideas!
Deirdre
Linda S. says
June 17, 2018 at 5:45 amI just stumbled across your blog a couple of months ago and I am so in love with your home, it is so beautiful! Lots of love and hard work but it has paid off. You and your husband have done a fantastic job!
Jenn says
January 12, 2019 at 12:51 amLove your style! Where did you get the picture of the cow above your sink?
Amy H. says
February 1, 2019 at 6:47 amHi Jill, I love your blog! I just came across it a couple days ago and can’t get enough. My husband and I, along with our 2 boys (Bridger and Reagan) just moved to Western Montana from FL in pursuit of the “simple life”. It’s been a dream of mine to have a homestead since I was a little girl. When I sit and read your story, I relate 100%. Thank you for putting this information out there to help people, like myself, begin their journey to homesteading.